Quiet Devotion

Before leaving, the way he looked at me was so cold and distant that I stood frozen in place for a long time.

I didn’t even know how I ended up at the hotel.

Soaking in the warm bathtub, my entire body still felt icy.

Shivering, I used my resources to investigate Ryan’s background and also checked all of Yumi’s information since she went abroad.

While waiting, Yumi kept calling me incessantly, but I rejected all her calls.

She sent me messages again.

[Yale, why are you so unruly? Why can’t you rein yourself in even after going abroad? This isn’t like back home—no one here will indulge your spoiled temper!]

[As your future wife, it’s my duty to make you fully aware that mistakes come with consequences!]

[Get lost!]

I didn’t even want to say the word breakup to her. She was not worthy.

My phone vibrated. Files about Yumi since she went abroad kept arriving. Even though I’d steeled myself, I was still furious enough to smash a wall.

Yumi had only been abroad for four months. But she and Ryan had already been living together for three months. That meant less than a month after we split, she was already with that scumbag.

I didn’t hesitate to call Anne. “Bring your mercenary squad! Right away!”

"Yes, sir!"

But before Anne could get there, the police burst in and took me away.

A real man didn’t let himself be wronged lightly, so I cooperated completely and went with them. As I stepped out, I slipped on a banana peel at the doorway and tumbled forward into a cop.

The next second, my hands were cuffed behind my back.

They forced me to the ground and a woman who looked strikingly like Ryan pressed her foot onto the back of my hand, grinding it repeatedly.

Pain shot through me and tears streamed down my face as I tried to explain. “I slipped… it was an accident…”

But the woman squatted down, pulled out a gun and slammed the butt hard against my mouth.

The metallic, bloody taste instantly filled my mouth.

She pressed the gun against my temple and hissed. “You intentionally hurt someone and you still dare to attack the police?”

I shook my head.

In response, I was punched again and again. Blood gushed uncontrollably from my nose.

Just as my consciousness began to blur, Yumi appeared, dragging a pale-faced Ryan with her.

She looked down at me from above, her face full of grief and indignation. “Yale, you hit Ryan so hard that he had a heart scare—someone has to take the responsibility for this! Don’t look at me like that. I’m doing this for your own good! After all, the world is big; there will always be people richer and more powerful than you. Not everything can bend to your will!”

“Yumi, if you treat me like this, you’ll regret it sooner or later!”

My threat only made Yumi chuckle.

She stifled her laughter and continued to lecture me from her lofty position. “Behave and be sensible and you won’t suffer losses like this again! I’ll come pick you up in ten days.”

She was surprisingly precise.

My visa would expire in ten days. That meant as soon as I got out of prison, I’d be deported. Even if I wanted revenge on Ryan, there’d be nothing I could do.

Ryan’s sister snorted coldly, dragging me into the police car like a dead weight.

Before leaving, Yumi tried to wipe the blood from my face—but no matter what, she couldn’t get it clean.

Instead, my cold, calm stare seemed to make her feel rather guilty.

"Take him away! What a hassle!"

Before the car door closed, I heard Yumi softly coaxing Ryan. “Darling, he’s been pampered since childhood. After going through such a hard time now, can you calm down? Tonight, whatever you want to do, I’ll follow your lead!”

Through the glass, I caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye—Ryan pulled a small leather whip from his pocket and lightly flicked it against the back of Yumi’s hand.